Initial Education
by Wandz
Summary: This is a dark backstory to Uncertain Education. It is a tale that describes how Rumplestiltskin affected the lives of Regina, Granny and Cora. Please read and review. Rated M for a reason.


Please enjoy this story. It is a darker take on the back story to 'Uncertain Education'. This story is rated M for a reason. If you do not like stories in this rating category please do not read. I own nothing of Once Upon a Time. Please read and review.

…..

The older woman looked down at her Granddaughter's sleeping form. The near death of the young man just outside the village made her almost weep in despair. The family curse made its mark on the youngest of the family and she knew that there was little she could do but lock her granddaughter up for three nights a week each month.

The water was boiled and she prepared some lemon bark tea to end the day. The sun would be setting in a few hours. The chill in the air set off memories that she sooner would forget but reminded her that there was another option than locking her grandchild in each month.

Putting on a heavy cloak she made her way to the woods through a path she had not travelled on in many years to meet with a man she vowed never to speak with again. The fire was quickly lit and she waited for what felt like hours and wondered the whole time if her granddaughter Red was alright.

"I see you dressed for the weather this time Dearie."

"I see that the weather does not affect you at all." The older woman rubbed her hands together. "You know why I came here so either you make a deal with me or I'll be off."

He danced up to her and pulled off the hood of the cloak. "You've aged quite a bit. Everyone calls you Granny now. I liked the other name better but it didn't suit a woman that bakes cookies and cakes all day."

"So can you help my granddaughter or not Rumplestiltskin?"

He gave his well known maniacal laugh and clapped his hands. "Oh, you need this." He took out a small red handkerchief and shook it about ten times before it became a beautiful red cloak. "But it will cost you."

"Everything costs with you." Granny's tone was angry.

"Such bitterness over something that was not my fault." He stood there and hung the cloak over one arm.

She looked away for a moment then met his eyes, swallowing her fear. "What is your price?"

He placed on the cloak and spun around. "All you have to do is take this cloak of my person and it is yours to give to your granddaughter." The playfulness of his high pitched voice rang in her ears.

"Play fair at the very least. I am not a young woman anymore and there would be no way I could catch you." She realized her mistake as soon as she spoke.

"I can change that." With a wave of his hand Granny was transformed into her younger self that he met years ago. "Now, that's more like it. Come chase me Dearie."

Granny was furious with him but amazed at how well she felt having her younger body back. She lunged towards him and he stepped aside from her and she felt to the ground. Not giving up she ran after him and he ran into the woods. She didn't care if she got lost she needed that cloak.

He turned and jumped around the many things that stood in her path. The sun was setting so it became harder for her to see where she was going. She grabbed his arm and simply held on as he pulled her through the woods. Without realizing it she lost her footing and almost fell over a ridge. She held onto him for dear life.

Rumplestiltskin had no worries of falling. "You've caught me my dear and can take the cloak at any time you want."

Granny reached up and wrapped and arm around his neck. It was a little too intimate for her liking but it was preferable to her death. If he moved and inch closer to the edge she wasn't sure that she could hold on.

He spoke gently in her ear. "I will save your life and give you the cloak if you give me the recipe you got from a former student of mine."

Granny looked into his eyes and kissed him. Rumplestiltskin moved away from the ridge and threw her to the ground pinning her under him. He kissed her back and moved against her. He pulled out of the kiss and smiled. "You think that would actually work? Do you have any idea how many women tried to sedu…"

The sound of heavy fabric hitting the ground silenced him. "Yeah, I did actually. I got the hood off your person." She placed her head back and laughed.

Rumplestiltskin got up off of her and changed her back to her aged self again. "You've learned a few tricks with age."

Granny got up off the ground holding the cloak close to her. "I know many women tried to seduce you to get out of deals. You mocked many of them I am sure and you would take the opportunity to mock me as well. Mock away, mock, mock mock."

He laughed at her smiling at him. "You would have made a decent student at one time."

"Perhaps but now our deal is done."

"She'll be just like you, you know."

"I deserve as much." Granny walked off hoping she'll find her way home before it was truly dark.

Before she knew it she was at her cottage. "I decided to help you out. No payment required."

Granny turned around and saw him leaning casually against a tree. "Why didn't you ask for the recipe from the start? You almost had me killed once for it when I was younger."

Rumplestiltskin slowly walked up to her. "I have my reasons. There may be a day you'll beg me to take the recipe to save your granddaughter's life. Taking it from you then will make the cake so much sweeter."

As tempting as it was she refused to ask what danger her granddaughter would be in. Things would be safer if she left Rumplestiltskin out of her life.

Granny reached her cottage and felt such relief when she saw Red sleeping without a care in the world. She rolled up the cloak and placed it in a box and only when she reached the table did she begin to cry.

….

The next morning Granny got up and prepared for the day. Deliveries to the town Inn had to be made and Red did not enjoy the mornings.

"Granny, why do I have to go?"

"Because you are old enough now to help and I need it."

Red grumbled but got dressed and ate her breakfast. "He's a creepy man."

"Who?" Granny said with a start.

"The owner of the Inn, the Gingerbread Man."

Granny grimaced. "Don't call him that." She felt bad correcting Red as she herself feels the same way. "At least not in town he might hear you."

Red smiled knowing that Granny didn't like the owner anymore than she did. "You made the special cake today. You never make it."

"I thought he may pay extra once he tastes it. You know how friendly people get after eating it."

Red said nothing and finished her breakfast.

The trip took about an hour but the weather favored them. The cart was full and Red always liked riding in the cart.

Upon arrival she knocked on the back door of the Inn as usual and was let in by the cook. He was a very thin man despite being a cook and had the whitest mustache in the land. "Ah Granny I am so happy you are here. I would bake as much as you but I could never to your goods justice."

"Thank you Philo, how's _his_ mood today?"

"Same as always I suppose. He's in the wine cellar and will be here shortly." He turned his attentions to Red. "My, you are growing up! She'll be breaking hearts sooner than later."

"I do not want to think of that right now. All I want is to get new shutters made. The ones I have are so old. I am happy that winter has ended and spring is on its way, slowly."

Red walked in and out of the kitchen bringing in items from the cart to the large table that was in the centre of the kitchen.

Granny realized she needed help with something on the cart. "Oh Philo can you help me with the large bucket of batter? It will be good until tomorrow. Best you bake them tonight as they will be fresh and warm for tomorrow. All you have to add is the powder that I'll give you to make sure they'll rise."

"Oh, yes of course. What a splendid idea."

"Red, just stay here and keep out of trouble."

"Yes, Granny."

Red looked around the kitchen and breathed in the smell of garlic and freshly made soup. The dried herbs fascinated her as she never saw so many herbs.

She felt a shaddow creep up on her. Turning around she saw the man she feared and hated so much. "Oh, my mother is getting something from the cart." She looked up and saw the Innkeeper also known as the Gingerbread man. His teeth were blackened and half rotted out from all the cookies he ate over the years and his breath almost knocked her out.

"Is that so? Well it's a good thing I want to talk with you. How old are you now?"

Red saw that he looked at her differently than he did the last time she was here. He smiled and licked his lips while looking at her body.

"I asked you a question girl." He barked at her.

"I'm fourteen."

His smile returned and he rubbed his hands together and licked his lips again. He pulled out a gingerbread cookie from his pocket and ate it. Crumbs fell over her as he noisily munched away. A crumb fell into her hair and he reached down and pulled it away from her hair. He smelled it first then put it into his mouth liking his fingers slowly.

Red didn't like how he was acting. She felt very uncomfortable being so close to him.

"You are old enough to be married soon. I am a man of means in this town. Wouldn't you like to have a man that can buy you pretty things?"

Her heart thumped in her chest at the thought of being married to this foul creature. She jumped up but he caught her grabbing at her chest.

"Granny!"

The hand he slowly licked was placed over her mouth. It smelled so foul that she had to concentrate not to throw up in his hand.

Granny ran in and screamed at the Inn Keeper. "Leave my granddaughter alone."

He threw her to the floor and Red jumped up and ran from the kitchen to the cart.

The Innkeeper smiled. "You'll do nothing old woman. You need my money too much. But perhaps if you let me have your daughter as my wife I will pay for you enough gold to make sure you don't need to bake again."

Every fiber of Granny's being wanted to kill this foul creature. The thought of calling out for Rumplestiltskin's help entered her mind. Rumplestiltskin would love to make an example of men like this and she smiled thinking of the many ways this beast could be taught a lesson.

The Innkeeper smiled back taking Granny's smile to be an acceptance of his proposal. She turned to the chef. "Please make sure that Red is alright. Give her a muffin."

The chef nodded and took a muffin from the table.

Granny went to the table and picked up the special cake. "I made this cake special for you. I wanted to thank you for your generosity. Out of all the bakers you chose me."

"What type of cake is it?" He was interested and he almost started drooling.

"A ginger cake. I am fond of ginger myself." She cut a slice and placed it on a plate and found two spoons. "I would like to share this with you. My daughter is not used to being in town and doesn't understand that she attracts the best men around."

The Innkeeper laughed enjoying the attention. "I know you're lying. You think I am a disgusting troll. But I want your granddaughter." He looked at the cake and sat down next to Granny. "You have the first taste. I don't trust that you didn't poison it."

Granny took a large piece and ate it enjoying the taste of it in her mouth. She reached down with the fork and took another piece and lifted it to the Innkeeper's mouth. He took it, munching it making sloppy sounds.

He got a little sleepy and realized that something was very wrong. "Get up you disgusting troll."

He did as she said and Granny took a small knife from another table. "Take this knife and cut your tongue out then take a coal from the fire to cauterize the wound. I don't want you bleeding to death."

The Innkeeper cried and began to scream.

"No screaming from this as well."

He was silenced as he cut his tongue out then proceeded to the fire and got a coal and burned the bottom of his mouth to stop the bleeding. His fingers were blistered and the smell of burning flesh filled the kitchen.

The Innkeeper stood up shaking in complete fear.

"Do not even think of telling anyone of what went on here. You have no idea what spell I placed on you. If you do one of two things your heart will explode in your chest. The first is speaking of what happened and second eating another gingerbread cookie."

Granny calmed herself down but decided to use the spell while she could. "Answer yes or no with a nod or shake of your head. Do you have enough money in this Inn to pay me all the money you owe me for my baked goods for the past three years?"

He nodded yes. "Go get the money now and be quick about it but look natural as you do it."

The Innkeeper ran and came back in twenty minutes with three bags of coins. Half of it was gold.

"I will no longer bake for you and you will never think of my daughter again. Philo will tell the story of why I will never bake for you again. Agree with him or I'll be back with more magic."

Granny left with the bags of coins and threw them in the back of the cart. She let out a long sigh and looked at Philo. "Listen carefully, he's in bad shape but I had to do it. You understand don't you?"

Philo understood what happened. "Oh, you didn't did you? You baked that accursed cake didn't you?"

"I was just going to get him to pay me fairly, that's all then I saw how he held Red and I knew I had to stop him." Tears were now falling down her face.

"I know, I know he's a monster. I'll take care of it my darling. Don't worry. I'll tell people that you asked for fair payment and he yelled at you that's why you won't bake for him."

Granny looked up and smiled. "It's worse than that but he won't say a word. Believe me."

Philo watched as Granny left with her granddaughter Red. "Don't come back to town for another year or two. I'll be out to visit you soon!"

Red looked back at the chef she learned to love and regretted seeing his sad face. "Granny, I'm sorry."

"You did nothing wrong Red. You did nothing wrong."

Philo entered the kitchen and saw the horror that was before him. Blood was everywhere and a knife on the floor as witness to the horrific act.

The Innkeeper was on the floor with a rag in his mouth that was doused in strong alcohol. Philo wanted nothing to do with this. "You had this coming. I'm leaving this town and if asked I know nothing of this event." That was the last the Innkeeper saw of the chef that worked these kitchens since he was a small boy.

The Innkeeper heard giggling laughter and footsteps. He turned his head and saw a man that was as frightful as himself.

"My you really shouldn't have touched her granddaughter. I did warn you that your sticky fingers would get you into trouble one day."

"Umblellenn"

"Yes, you know my name. You don't need to say it." Rumplestiltskin knelt down so he was face level with the tortured Innkeeper. "You want revenge?"

The Innkeeper nodded.

"There's a price as you well know. I want this Inn." He flashed a piece of parchment with writing on it with the contents of the contract. One hand held the paper the other a quill. "I get the Inn and you get your revenge as well as a new younger body. Do we have a deal?"

The Innkeeper nodded and signed as quickly as possible. As soon as she finished with his signature he was transformed into a younger handsome man.

"I can talk again." He looked into the shine of one of the pots and saw that he was indeed a handsome man with a hard chest full of hair.

"Now I wouldn't think of trying to reclaim this Inn. You won't like the results."

"No, that's alright. But I'll take revenge on that old bat and have fun with that delicious granddaughter of hers."

Rumplestiltskin gave his signature laugh and gestured towards the door. "Enjoy your revenge."

The Innkeeper never hesitated and left to plot his revenge on Granny and her granddaughter.

…


End file.
